Sunday, July 19, 2015

NEW RELEASES FOR WEEK OF JULY 20, 2015

THE BRIDE WORE DENIM BY LIZBETH SELVIG

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

When Harper Lee Crockett returns home to Paradise Ranch, Wyoming, the last thing she expects is to fall head-over-heels in lust for Cole, childhood neighbor and her older sister's long-time boyfriend. The spirited and artistic Crockett sister has finally learned to resist her craziest impulses, but this latest trip home and Cole's rough-and-tough appeal might be too much for her fading self-control.

Cole Wainwright has long been fascinated by the sister who's always stood out from the crowd. His relationship with Amelia, the eldest Crockett sister, isn't as perfect as it seems, and with Harper back in town, he sees everything he's been missing. Cole knows they have no future together—he's tied to the land and she's created a successful life in the big city—but neither of them can escape their growing attraction or inconvenient feelings.

As Harper struggles to come to grips with new family responsibilities and her forbidden feelings for Cole, she must decide whether to listen to her head or to give her heart what it wants.

The Bride wore Denim is a fun, yet unique story. Can I just say the title drew my attention to the book. It fits Harper's personality perfectly. Harper has never been afraid to stand out. Now she is determined to blend in and make her family proud. At ever turn she is finding that just is not who she is. The things she tries to change are what Cole likes most about her. The problem? Cole belongs to someone else. The Bride Wore is Denim encourages being true to who and what a person is meant to be. Being unique is what makes us special. I received an ARC of this story from Edelweiss for an honest review. (www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

CAUGHT UP IN THE TOUCH BY LAURA TRENTHAM

SYNOPSIS

Jessica Montgomery has always lived by three simple rules: stay calm, stay professional, stay in control. Working tirelessly to make it into the executive ranks of her family's business, her dream job of CFO is within reach-if she can convince one stubborn and sexy restaurateur to take her offer and manage Montgomery Industries' flagship restaurant in Atlanta.

On the surface Logan Wilde is all good-old-boy charm and humor, but he can't seem to outrun the hell-raising reputation of his high school years. Although he has thought about leaving his hometown in Falcon, Alabama, he has grown to love the town, his restaurant, and his part-time gig coaching the football team.

Jessica estimates it will take a week tops to get Logan Wilde's signature on her generous offer, but their first meeting is anything but professional. Logan shreds Jessica's control and unleashes a passion she didn't know existed even as a deeper connection between them takes root. When her family's manipulations threaten to tear them apart, Jessica has to decide whether her dream is really the CFO job or the man who has unselfishly offered his love.

Caught Up in the Touch (Falcon Football, #2) by Laura TrenthamMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jessica and Logan each have something to prove. Jessica is intent on obtaining her place in the family business and Logan wants to be seen as more than an upstart jock. Hard to do in a town where everyone knows your name and your reputation proceeds you. Logan was every woman's dream. A handsome, caring and funny man wanting to do the right thing. Jessica is a more complicated character. She is willing to do whatever it takes as long as the end goal gets her where she wants to be. Laura Trentham uses two complete opposites to show her readers the importance of growth, life, love and happiness. Caught Up in the Touch is a look at small town life and big city goals. This series is a win. I received an ARC for an honest review.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

TAKE THE FALL BY MARQUITA VALENTINE

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

As a teenager, Seth O’Connor went to jail for a crime he had nothing to do with. He took the fall to protect the girl he loved, but the cruel realities of prison hardened him. After doing his time, Seth shuts her out and enlists in the Marines—until his grandmother’s funeral forces him to come home and face Rowan Simmons once again. The woman she’s become puts all his high-school memories to shame, and Seth wants her more than ever. Can he be honest about why he denied her for so long?

After Seth pushed her away, Rowan swore that no man would ever hurt her again. But the boy who broke her heart has become a sexy Marine, capable of fulfilling her every desire—and now that he’s back in town, old feelings are simmering to a boil. Rowan wants to stay strong, even as her body surrenders to his expert touch. She only hopes that by taking him back, she can finally help heal the wounds that drove them apart.

Take the Fall (Take the Fall, #1) by Marquita ValentineMy rating: 4 of 5 stars

Choices made and lessons learned have a profound affect on the fragile relationship of two young people. Seth is a follower. In love, impressionable and at the wrong place at the wrong time he ends up making a choice he can never take back. Rowan is a scared and lost individual who tries to act tougher than she actually is. One unexpected event on a lone night impacts the lives of so many. Especially these two lovers. Years later will they be able to find their way back to each other or is the damage to great? I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Take the Fall is a story of redemption, forgiveness and love that is emotionally gripping. Each character had to grow up before they could make the situation better for themselves and each other. (www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

MASQUERADING WITH THE CEO BY DAWN CHARTIER

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

He'll give her everything...except his true identity.

After catching her fiancé cheating on their wedding day, interior designer Kylie Edwards swore off high-powered men. But before she can drown herself in wedding cake, she's dragged to a Vegas romance conference by her friends. At least she'll be able to meet the hotel's owner and pitch her new design idea. And maybe attend the elaborate masquerade ball, where business unexpectedly becomes pleasure with the hotel's oh-so-hot head of security.

Jake Royale's no security guy-he owns the hotel and casino. The masquerade ball gives him the perfect opportunity to drop his high-profile identity and blend in. To be seen as a man, not his money. But when one hot night with Kylie becomes more, Jake knows he's screwed. Not only will his fake identity cost him the design that will catapult his casino back to the top, it might just cost him the one thing money can't buy...

A fun read. Kylie and Jake were perfect for each other. Although they started out on the wrong foot, these two people brought out the best in each other. Misunderstandings, secrets and past heartbreaks have played pivotal roles in the makeup in both characters. I received an ARC of Masquerading with the CEO for in exchange for an honest review. A modern day happily every after that leaves the reading feeling good.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

DRUNK ON YOU BY TERI ANN STANLEY

SYNOPSIS

Undiluted desire, served straight up.

Justin Morgan would happily drown the pain of his injured leg-and the guilt he brought back from Afghanistan-in bourbon. Except, there won't be any booze if he doesn't rescue his family's century-old distillery from financial ruin. The problem? Allie McGrath-youngest daughter of the distillery's co-owners, and the one woman he can't have.

Allie has been in love with Justin since...well, she's always been in love with him. Now he's home, broken up over the death of her brother, and he needs help. She can fix the distillery-she's sure of it-but no one's taking her or her sweet new idea seriously. Convincing Justin is her only hope.

Allie is more tempting than Justin expected, threatening a promise he swore he'd never break. If he can't keep their attraction under control, there's a solid chance they'll send the whole enterprise crumbling to the ground...if he doesn't crash and burn first.

There is so much that I can say about Drunk on You. Emotional, breathtaking, romantic just to name a few. The most descriptive would be great. Teri Anne Stanley's story of love, heartbreak and bourbon is at times painful but is also a story of healing and second chances. Justin wants to wallow in his own misery but Allie is determined to pull him out of the darkness. I receive an ARC of Drunk On You in exchange for an honest review. YES, this is a beautiful story!(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

THE ART OF SINNING BY SABRINA JEFFRIES

SYNOPSIS

The first novel in the Sinful Suitors series by New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries! At St. George’s Club, guardians conspire to keep their unattached sisters and wards out of the clutches of sinful suitors. Which works fine…except when the sinful suitors are members!

American artist Jeremy Keane refuses to return home and take over his father’s business. He’d much rather sample bevvies of beauties abroad, in search of a model for the provocative masterpiece he’s driven to paint. When he meets Lady Yvette Barlow at a London wedding, he realizes she’s perfect for his work—and determines to capture the young heiress’s defiant spirit and breathtaking sensuality on canvas.

No stranger to scandal, Yvette agrees to be Keane’s subject—in exchange for his help gaining entry to the city’s brothels he knows intimately, so she can track a missing woman and solve a family mystery. But when their practical partnership leads to lessons in the art of sinning, can they find a bold and lasting love?

Sabrina Jeffries' Sinful Suitors series is off to a fantastic start. The Art of Sinning is a mysteriously sultry historical romance. Yvette was my favorite character. Her mixture of strength, curiosity and naivety is an example of great story telling. While reading, it was quite easy to picture the situations she went into and wonder what she was thinking. I loved that she found her hero in Jeremy. Jeremy was just as adventurous as Yvette was but together he served as her filter. He reigned in some of Yvette's restlessness and less thought out ideas. I am really looking forward to meeting more characters within this series. I received an ARC of The art of Sinning in exchange for an honest review.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

LADY BEREFORD'S LOVER BY ELLA QUINN

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Ella Quinn’s bachelors are quite sure of what they want in life—and love—until the right woman opens their eyes…

After a painful heartbreak, Rupert, the handsome young Earl of Stanstead, has decided that when it comes to love, avoidance is best. Until he meets a woman who makes him forget his plan—and remember his longing for a wife and family. Yet he senses that she too has been hurt, though she attempts to hide her feelings—and more—in the most baffling and alluring way. Intrigued, Rupert is willing to play along, if winning her is the prize…

Crushed by her late husband’s scorn, Vivian, Countess of Beresford, believes she is monstrously undesirable. Sadly childless, she has moved to London resigned to a solitary life. Still, when she encounters Rupert at a masquerade ball, her disguise as Cleopatra emboldens her. Convinced he doesn’t recognize her, she begins an after-hours affair with him, always in costume—while allowing him to innocently court the real her by day. But when Rupert makes a shocking choice, will Vivian be able to handle the truth?..

I hate discovering a series midway through. It is frustrating to know that you could have been enjoying these characters a long while ago. Ella Quinn writes fun and fearless characters. Lady Beresford's Lover is great evidence. Vivienne has set her sites on being her own woman. Love only leads to pain and heartbreak. Just ask Rupert. Rupert and Vivienne have sworn off societies conventions. However there is nothing more romantic than a masquerade ball.. Ms. Quinn's historical love stories are sexy, mysterious and full of intriguing characters and stunning romances. I would describe Lady Beresford's Lover as feast for the senses. I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

JUST A KISS BY KATE KISSET

Release Date: July 23, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Three Friends One Wine Country Villa Six Santino Brothers and lots of wine...

Reeling from the loss of her mother, Sarah Dupont catches her fiancé doing the nasty on top of her pastry table at their San Francisco Bakery. Devastated, she calls her best friend, lifestyle reporter, Danica Vargas. Danica convinces Sarah to start fresh and move in with her at Bella Villa mansion in Sonoma Valley.

With two roommates who act like the sisters she never had and a feisty landlord to stand in as the grandmother she always wanted, Sarah’s opens a café on the Sonoma Plaza. Her life changes the moment the little bell on the door rings and the notoriously sexy actor Jamie Santino, swaggers in.

Jamie, one of the six Santino Brothers, of Napa Valley Winery fame, needs baking lessons for his new movie and Sarah is just the woman to teach him. Wine flows, their love affair heats up and a tempestuous femme fatale enters the scene. How can Sarah trust that Jamie isn’t acting when everything he says seems too good to be true?

Just a Kiss: Single Girls Wine Club Series by Kate KissetMy rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just a Kiss is a breath of fresh air. The writing style, cast of players and story made me feel like I was walking through each page with the characters. Dealing with a lot of upheaval in her life Sarah decides to make a change and leave all the heartache behind. With a little help from her friends, faith in herself and a sprinkle of romance things are starting to look up. The backdrop of the scenic California coast, close friends that are like family and the prospect of finding true love the Single Girls Wine Club series is off to a good start. I received an ARC of Just a Kiss by Kate Kisset in exchange for an honest review. This story is the perfect summer read.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

THE CEO BUYS IN (WAGER HEARTS #1) BY NANCY HERKNESS

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Self-made billionaire Nathan Trainor feels restless and disillusioned. His company may be thriving, but he can’t find a woman who sees him for more than his wealth. With his love life in the red, he meets two other billionaire bachelors at the ultra-exclusive Bellwether Club. The three of them make a wager of the heart: they must find women who love them for who they are, not their money.

Savvy office temp Chloe Russell is trying to scrape together the money she needs to support her grandmother. So when a flu epidemic strikes Trainor Electronics and she’s promoted to Nathan Trainor’s assistant, she jumps at the lucrative opportunity. But then Nathan himself falls ill, and he and Chloe must work from his penthouse while he recuperates. Before long, it’s clear there’s genuine heat between them, and it’s more than just a fever spike. Will Nathan win Chloe’s heart—and the bet? Or will their differences destroy any chance for love?

The CEO Buys In (Wager of Hearts, #1) by Nancy HerknessMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

A spur of the moment wager and a matchmaking grandmother are just two of the reasons that I could not stop reading The CEO Buys In. Nathan and Chloe live different lives but long for the same things. Nathan is filthy rich, handsome and unhappy with the direction his life has taken. He longs to find that one person who wants him not for what he is worth, but for the person he is. Chloe has a lot of responsibility. The sole bread winner in her family she is determined to look after her aging grandmother and not end up like her father, used and hung out to dry by a big cooperation. So she works temp jobs. Against her better judgement she is placed at a big cooperation. Misunderstandings, preconceived notions, stubbornness and pride are traits of Nathan and Chloe's personalities. So it was amusing and entertaining to see how their love story played out. Nancy Herkness vision hit the ball right out of the park . I ended this read with a smile on my face, joy in my heart and looking forward to what comes next in book two of the Wager of Hearts series. I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review. (www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

THE PLAYER NEXT DOOR BY KATHY LYONS

SYNOPSIS

An unexpected catch...

NBA star Mike Giamaria doesn't mix basketball with love. Ever. Then Mike meets Tori Williams, his cute, quirky new neighbor who seems hell bent on refurbishing her death trap of a house on her own. When she falls from her roof and into his arms, Mike knows he's just caught a whole heap of trouble.

Trouble sums up Tori's life. Despite her academic success, no one believes she can take care of herself-not her family, not her ex-boyfriend. She's determined to live her life on her own terms, and if that includes a hot summer fling with the super-sexy athlete next door, so much the better.

But when Tori's around, Mike can't keep his mind on basketball. He wants...more. And to his horror, not just more time on the court. When training starts, it's game over-it has to be-unless Tori can convince Mike that love doesn't belong on the sidelines.

A heroine with something to prove meets a smooth talking athlete with more than sports on his mind. Will these two be a match in the game of love or will one call foul? I thought this was an adorable look at love. It was interesting because Tori was the pursuer and Mike the big basketball star was the wary one. Kathy Lyons' The Player Next Door is a winner. It supplies an entertaining spin on an age old theme. I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

EVEN THE SCORE BY KATE MEADER

SYNOPSIS

He'll make her an offer she can't refuse...

Actress Tess McKenzie is performing in the Tenth Circle of Showbiz Hell-dinner theater. All she really wants is to start a theater of her own. Then Tess receives an offer she can't refuse. She'll get her funding...if she pretends to be the fiancée to her nemesis, Texan property tycoon Hunter Dade. If she's going to pull this off, she'll need all the luck she can get. Break a leg, indeed.

On the verge of a big business deal, Hunter needs to hire a fiancée. He hasn't quite forgiven Tess for ruining his wedding, but when their chemistry goes from combative to straight-up lust, the "no sex" clause in their mutually beneficial arrangement is tested. Which is a serious problem, because if Tess isn't careful, she'll go from breaking a leg to breaking her heart...

Even the Score is a sexy read that is immensely entertaining. My favorite parts of the story are the tug of war between these two characters. Each has a strong personality and have to prove that they have the upper hand. Although they drive each other crazy, there is a strong pull of attraction. Will Hunter and Tess prove to be each other's saving grace or their own worst enemy? I received an ARC of Kate Meader's Even the Score in exchange for an honest review. Refreshing, funny and worthwhile.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

WANTED BY DEE TENORIO

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

Some secrets are worth dying for...

Undersheriff and former Marine Rick Trelane had one constant his entire life - his friendship with Whitney Peterson. Through thick and thin, she has never faltered. Never blamed. But when her former lover turns up dead, Rick must look past the walls he's built to the woman he thought he knew inside and out...and discover he was wrong.

Whitney has secrets, deadly ones. The deeper he digs, the more he sees her as a woman he desires. And suspects. But as bodies start turning up, so does the evidence against her. Now the air is thick with secrets and shadows and giving into the longing could turn both their worlds upside down. Because this killer is just getting started...

The one book that I have read by author Dee Tenorio did not prepare me for this. I have never read Dee Tenorio suspense writer. I have read Dee Tenorio contemporary romance author. Wanted is a suspenseful, mystery, thriller romance. Surprises around every corner, a little romance thrown in and a lot of adventure. I received an ARC of Wanted in exchange for an honest review. If you love action filled mystery suspense you will love it. (www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)

BIND ME BEFORE YOU GO BY HARPER KINCAID

Release Date: July 21, 2015

SYNOPSIS

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

His heart is bound tighter than the bondage he craves...Determined to put her past behind her, Cassidy Peyton moves to the Big Apple. But New York has a few dark secrets of its own, including Serve, an exclusive BDSM club. It's a place she isn't sure she's ready for, until she sees him watching her. Hot. Intent. Knowing. With eyes that leave her stomach tied in knots, because the loneliness he's trying to hide matches her own.

Security expert David Cavill has more secrets than any man should. Secrets that forever shut down any possibility of love, marriage, or family. Yet Cassidy draws him in, an intoxicating combination of strength, candor, and sensuality that David can't resist. But as their bond deepens, Cassidy must decide if she can love a man whose heart is bound tighter than the form of bondage he craves...

I received Bind Me Before You Go for an honest review from NetGalley and Entangled. For the most part Harper Kincaid did a good job of introducing readers to Cassidy and David. Although BDSM plays a central part within this story it is not THE story. It serves as a metaphor. Cassidy and David both have issues with trust. Cassidy is also struggling to find her voice and learn to be comfortable within her own skin. David is sexy, protective and fighting demons of his own. These two troubled people bring out in each other the traits that are lacking within themselves. Some of the scenarios were a little much for me but the story was still quite good.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)